The Delhi High Court has issued an ex-parte interim injunction prohibiting the unauthorised use of intellectual property related to the cult classic Hindi film Andaz Apna Apna, originally released in 1994. The order was passed in favour of the film’s production house, Vinay Pictures, which had moved the court alleging rampant infringement of its copyright and trademark rights through merchandise and digital content, including AI-generated material.
Justice Amit Bansal, while passing the order on May 14, observed that the plaintiff had made out a prima facie case and stood to suffer irreparable harm if the relief was not granted. The court noted the enduring popularity of the film and the commercial exploitation of its characters, dialogues, and visuals by unauthorised parties.
The interim injunction restrains known and unknown individuals from hosting, streaming, communicating, or creating any content — including videos, images, or AI-generated material — that replicates or is derived from the film or its iconic characters and catchphrases. The list of protected elements includes well-known characters such as “Crime Master Gogo,” “Teja,” “Amar,” and “Prem,” as well as trademarked catchphrases like “Aila” and “Ouima.”
The court also directed YouTube parent company Google LLC to remove or disable access to infringing videos, Shorts, or other content uploaded by violators of the plaintiff’s rights.
In its plea, Vinay Pictures stated that it holds exclusive ownership over the film’s literary, dramatic, and artistic works and has executed agreements with third-party vendors to legally commercialise the intellectual property. Despite this, numerous online platforms were allegedly profiting from unauthorised products such as T-shirts, mugs, posters, notebooks, and AI-generated media, all of which featured elements from the film.
The production house emphasized that Andaz Apna Apna, starring Aamir Khan and Salman Khan, continues to enjoy immense cultural relevance, especially following its re-release this year.
The matter will now proceed further in court, but the interim order sends a strong signal against the misuse of iconic film IP, especially in the age of generative AI and e-commerce.
